Hean Wihbey (left) presents Sharon Quercioli with the Woman of the Year Award.

The Women in Business Council of the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce presented Sharon Quercioli, president of Sprouts!, with its 2011 Woman of the Year Award. The presentation was made at the council’s annual awards luncheon at Jupiter Beach Resort, where a contingent of high-profile business and community leaders gathered.

The Women in Business Council presents its annual Woman of the Year Award to the outstanding leader and female entrepreneur who has attained the highest level of professional excellence in the northern Palm Beach County community. The four finalists were Maria V. Davis, town manager of Lake Park; Janet Harris-Lange, president of the National Women in Business Owners Corp. & Agenda Dynamics; Esther LaBovick, CFO of LaBovick Law Group; and Quercioli, president of the West Palm Beach-based manufacturer of plantable-seed paper products that was named 2009 Small Business of the Year by the Chamber.

Jean Wihbey, provost of Palm Beach State College, led the event by giving a presentation on leadership. Following Wihbey’s presentation, Quercioli was announced as Woman of the Year. During her acceptance speech, she thanked to the council, Betty Ann Baker for nominating her, friends, business associates and staff members. She dedicated the award to "all women whose perseverance allows them to sail through even the roughest of waters."

“One of my true passions is giving back to the community through charitable organizations and by mentoring women, men and children," she said. "I’m honored to have been named Woman of the Year and want to thank the Northern Palm Beach County Chamber for this prestigious award.”